Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Ruler of the Era (2)
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[Bellona expects that, based on the success of this experiment, her legion will one day consist of beings that have even eliminated their digestive organs, existing solely for battle.]
It had all started as a simple attempt to boost mobility even further—specifically, a way to cut down on mealtime, since every moment wasted eating felt too precious to spare.
Processing the spoils from the hunting party's kills was a long, tedious process.
The worker ants had to carry chunks of minced meat in their mouths, which alone consumed labor and time.
On top of that, storing these minced chunks was problematic.
For a nomadic swarm without a fixed nest, hoarding any significant amount of food was inherently inefficient and a net loss.
'So she skipped the entire process altogether. Using the power of that newly acquired mana heart.'
Jin-hyuk, who had been watching closely, marveled at the process. It took place within the variant that Bellona, now equipped with the processed mana heart, had created first: the Decomposer Devourer.
This variant had an unusually swollen abdomen—puffy and spider-like in shape—with the mana heart embedded in its massive belly, brimming with potent digestive fluids.
A blend of the decomposing enzymes and venom from starfish, spiders, leeches, and more, this fluid killed and liquefied all living things it touched, turning them into a nutrient slurry.
The worker ants and other ants absorbed this slurry, regurgitating it later to distribute among the swarm. Thanks to Bellona's nomadic horde, they had reached a state where they could eat on the move without ever stopping.
"They're coming! The demons are swarming!"
Leveraging this enhanced mobility and combat prowess, Bellona raced like a gale, engaging in endless battles.
It was the key difference from Asmodra, who invested everything solely in breeding stronger swarms and larger legions.
Bellona now maintained her swarm for the sake of battle itself.
That was the identity of her nomadic horde, evolving down a path distinct from the great swarm.
The Orc Kingdom and Dwarf Federation had no choice but to reel under the onslaught of Bellona's legion, which simply bypassed massive enemy forces and fought only what it could.
Rest was a luxury they didn't afford; only ceaseless combat stretched on forever.
"Build walls... stack the barriers!"
In the end, after racking their brains, all of them arrived at the same solution as the Holy Kingdom and Lucadia Empire, who had long clashed with the ants.
Unable to match the mobility of these nomadic hordes, they began constructing walls linking key strongholds—just as humans built castles and fortresses against swift nomadic tribes.
[Asmodra takes interest in Bellona's achievements.]
Naturally, Asmodra—who had been observing the nomadic horde's changes through the swarm consciousness—took note of this novel approach.
Bellona felt a twinge of annoyance but otherwise paid it little mind.
After all, most of the information and knowledge Bellona was using came from Asmodra in the first place.
Though their pursuits diverged slightly, it was possible only because they were sister queens sharing the most crucial truth: they were both under the care of the one deity, Jin-hyuk, and their purpose was unwavering—to keep growing.
'But why the interest?'
Jin-hyuk, watching the exchange, felt a flicker of curiosity.
The two queens clearly wanted different things and faced different situations.
That was why their swarms were evolving in separate directions.
Bellona's nomadic ways hardly suited Asmodra, the empress who built new nests in conquered lands, cultivated mushroom farms, and expanded her domain itself.
[Asmodra devises a plan to cross the sea and strike the empire's rear.]
"...!"
But Jin-hyuk soon understood why.
Asmodra had eyed the massive walls that the Lucadia Empire poured immense resources and manpower into building and devised an alternative strategy.
Crossing the narrow sea between the Lucadia Empire and the old Holy Kingdom—the same one Seira had once traversed on a crude raft.
In the past, when its vastness was unknown, no one had bothered attempting it.
But Asmodra's world was expanding, and the moment she realized the sea wasn't that vast, it ceased to be an unknown realm of terror.
"Still, isn't that a bit much?"
Jin-hyuk recalled the map of human lands that Seira had shown him and furrowed his brow.
No matter how narrow, a sea was a sea—nothing like a mere river.
Seira had crossed on a raft, but that wasn't for battle; it was sneaking in like a smuggler, aided by survivors who were sailors.
Smuggling versus deploying an army was worlds apart.
"My Queen, even if we send forces and the raid succeeds, the empire's scattered troops will surround and annihilate them before long. The losses could exceed the resources invested."
Seira, sensing Asmodra's intent, knew Jin-hyuk's concerns and tried cautiously to dissuade her from the reckless plan.
[Asmodra judges that securing food and pinning down enemies is meaningful in itself.]
"But creating a new nest there... ah, no way."
Seira quickly grasped Asmodra's thinking and flinched.
She now understood why Asmodra had taken interest in Bellona's nomadic horde.
What if a nestless swarm that solved everything on the move dropped right into the empire's heart?
'Now that could work.'
Even Jin-hyuk, watching, couldn't help thinking it.
'The Lucadia Empire is undeniably a powerhouse. Vast territory means vast population and resources. It's no wonder the deity who conquered it is boasting in the community.'
Though not linked to the swarm consciousness like Seira, Jin-hyuk had steadily observed and monitored the ants all this time.
He quickly discerned Asmodra's intent.
The situation differed from the ants' swift overrun of the Holy Kingdom.
The Holy Kingdom lacked the strength even compared to the northern lands fully dominated by the ants.
Thus, Asmodra knew confronting the colossal Lucadia Empire would demand time and effort—unlike the Holy Kingdom.
A war of attrition at the walls alone wasn't enough.
Omnidirectional pressure was needed, and bypassing via sea was one such tactic.
'Disrupting the rear alone will force them to pour in massive resources and time. Even if they build new walls along the coast, fine—their growth stalls, and the ants buy time.'
Unlike the ants, who moved like a single body centered on their queen via the swarm consciousness, other forces inevitably took time to decide and act.
Moreover, as the ants learned more, they didn't grow dependent on their deity like other subordinates; they judged and acted independently, aligned with Jin-hyuk's will.
Chaotic, complex melees favored the ants immensely.
Asmodra had devised this to sow disorder anew on a battlefield where walls had restored order.
'Then how can I help them?'
He naturally pondered his role.
The ants were essentially autonomous subordinates, but his aid had been essential so far.
'Time to feed them fish.'
He sensed it was time to enact a plan he'd long considered.
They had already devoured amphibians and squid, absorbing underwater breathing abilities, but it wasn't enough.
They needed specialized underwater respiration. And to him, that meant fish gills.
"But do you have to eat only live creatures?"
Before heading out, Jin-hyuk muttered at Asmodra on the screen.
It wasn't a formal oracle to Seira, so Asmodra didn't hear.
'No matter how I read the description, it doesn't say live creatures only.'
All of Asmodra's prey so far had been live—up until entering the enclosure, anyway, where they were hunted and torn apart.
Jin-hyuk hadn't aimed for that specifically.
The initial tiny ants he'd saved were alive, and everything after came alive via suppliers.
It became habit, and even as prey grew larger, he tossed in live ones whole for the ants to hunt and watch.
'Might as well experiment now.'
Especially after reading that bluefin tuna gills aided high-speed movement and stamina, he chuckled.
Procuring live bluefin tuna was tough, no matter the money—excuses and delays inevitable.
But dead ones? Easy. Just hit a high-end sushi spot and pay up.
If Asmodra couldn't consume and absorb it, he'd just get live fish instead.
'If frozen doesn't work, oh well. Can't go watch a live tuna dissection show right now.'
He bought tuna sashimi and opened the enclosure lid.
Asmodra sensed it instantly and sent up worker ants.
What could it be? She brimmed with anticipation.
Everything from the great existence was precious nourishment for her and the swarm.
New prey or mana stones—it didn't matter.
"???"
When the tuna sashimi chunk thudded down.
Asmodra froze in confusion.
Plenty of feed had come from above before, but never a "giant red meat slab" like this.
'Does Asmodra even taste things?'
Recalling the melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, Jin-hyuk wondered as worker ants chopped and carried it off.
Asmodra had never commented on flavor before.
To her, food was mere sustenance. Gourmet indulgence was a queen ant's luxury.
'Thawing worked well. Worth the price.'
When she finally devoured all the sashimi fed by the workers.
Jin-hyuk grinned at the notification that Asmodra had absorbed a new ability.
Phase one of his experiment succeeded.
Asmodra could analyze and absorb genetic info from a dead creature—even one frozen and thawed.
Of course, it was thanks to her nonstop evolution.
Especially her recent self-implantation of a mana heart, maximizing its potential.
'Now I can try all sorts of things.'
This opened doors to more experiments.
Even procuring beasts smugglers wouldn't touch.
[Asmodra, having finished analyzing the devoured prey, discerns the great existence's will.]
Asmodra already understood why he'd provided the tuna sashimi and was crafting new soldiers.
Massive aquatic transport variants, capable of ferrying troops across the sea in bulk.
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